Green Gimlet

Sometimes I want a cocktail that’s on the savory side, but don’t quite feel up to tackling a meal-sized bloody mary. That’s where this Green Gimlet comes in.

And for those wondering if that near radioactive green hue is the product of food coloring: nope! It’s alllll natural – a combination of lime juice, basil simple syrup and celery juice.

…And gin. Of course gin.

I think my fascination with the lighter side of savory drinks was sparked by a cocktail I had last year at Wayfare Tavern. It was called the Urban Garden and it was out of control. Radish, cucumber, fresh herbs, lemon – it really is a garden in a glass.

When I set out to create this cocktail, celery was the first thing on my mind. This could have something to do with my deep and eternal love for all things celery: root, stalk, leaf, seed, salt, and now juice! In fact, a celery salad may or may not be the very next post you see on this blog.

(It will be.)

Next up in the juicing process: lime! It is a gimlet after all; we’ve got to represent the lime.

The limes I used when I shot this were being very stingy with their juice. If you don’t have a juicer, my favorite trick is to jam a fork into the flesh of a lime half and twist the lime and fork in opposite directions. That lime won’t stand a chance at holding on to its juice.

Basil is a long-time hero of many cocktails, both sweet and savory. It’s herbaceous and peppery punch is welcome at any party of mine. In this drink I use a basil simple syrup, as well as fresh basil in the cocktail shaker.

This is the cocktail I wanna be sipping on a porch on a lazy summer day while some meat is cooking on a grill.

Green Gimlet

Ingredients

1/2 ounce lime juice

2 basil leaves

2 ounces gin

1 1/2 ounces celery juice*

1/2 ounce basil simple syrup (recipe below)

celery and basil leaves, for garnish

Method

Muddle the basil leaves and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and add gin, celery juice and simple syrup. Shake vigorously for several seconds and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with celery leaves and basil.

Yields

1 drink

*For celery juice without a juicer: Blend stalks of celery with a splash of water in a blender until pureed. Press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and discard the pulp.

http://kitchenetteblog.com/2013/05/green-gimlet/

Basil Simple Syrup

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large stems of basil with leaves

Method

In a small pot over medium heat, warm the water and sugar, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and it just comes to a simmer. Once at a simmer, remove from the heat, add the basil and stir. Let the basil steep in the syrup as it cools, then strain.